Eric Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman, has said that computer users who want to be assured of security should get a Mac.

Asked for his advice on internet security, Mr Schmidt said: “You could use a Mac instead of a PC.”

Mr Schmidt also told the D9 conference in California that computer users would be safer using Google Chrome as their web browser and should activate two-factor identification on Gmail.

While some will wonder why Mr Schmidt did not recommend Google’s forthcoming Chromebook, the former CEO of Google did acknowledge that he had once been an Apple board member.

Mr Schmidt also included Apple as one of his ‘Gang of Four’ major technology platforms. He said that Google dominates information, Facebook in identity and social networking, Amazon in shopping and Apple in making “beautiful products”.

The Mac’s reputation as a platform free of security threats has been knocked recently by the creation of MacDefender, a form of malware that tricks users into installing it by telling them that their computer contains viruses.

Last night, Apple issued an update to the Mac OS that checks the computer for MacDefender, shuts it down and deletes the program, effectively eliminating the threat.

Mr Schmidt said that Google had a “very, very good search partnership” with Apple and had recently renewed its deal to supply maps for Apple’s devices.